


Team Huddle

by breakthisspell



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Cuddling and Snuggling, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-08
Updated: 2012-05-08
Packaged: 2017-11-05 01:50:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/400603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breakthisspell/pseuds/breakthisspell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the end of a long day, Korra and her teammates find themselves sleeping in an alleyway, huddling for warmth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Team Huddle

**Author's Note:**

> A quick, somewhat fluffy oneshot because hey, we need more fluffy Team Avatar moments, especially after last episode's drama.

Panting and wheezing, the Avatar and her companions stumbled into the alley. They were far away from the band of Equalists that had been pursuing them throughout the night, somewhere on the other side of town, a side of Republic City that Korra had never seen before. Korra was chilled to the bone, unsure if the sensation was formed by the cold, winter air against her bare arms or how eerie and _still_ the streets around the trio were, with the shabby, discolored concrete tops of the sidewalks mounted in front of rundown buildings, still illuminated from the inside though it had to have been early morning by then. Cabbage cars sat perched on the sides of the street, some parked unevenly with one wheel on the sidewalk, and the mixed scents of stale gasoline, alcohol, and the fresh smell of smoke hung in the heavy air.

It was Mako who had suggested to rest in a nearby alleyway for the night. Korra resisted the urge to wrinkle her nose in revulsion at the idea of sleeping on the dusty, grimy street, but better sense told her not to argue with the Firebender. He had lived on these streets, after all, she figured. He must have had some clue of what was best for them.

She shrugged and grunted, “Works for me,” in agreement. She plopped down beside Bolin, who had already settled himself on the pavement, curling up on his side with his hands tucked under his head.

Korra laid down much more reluctantly, dusting off the ground underneath her in vain before finally lying down on her back and onto the cool, hard concrete, hands behind her head and elbows extended outward. She looked to the skyline and sighed at the starless sky. Mako slid to the ground beside her wordlessly, eyeing his brother. “I hope you don’t mind kicking,” the Firebender remarked.

Korra raised an eyebrow at Mako, rolling over and onto her side. “What, you kick in your sleep?” 

“No,” Mako shook his head, “but Bolin likes to sprawl out while he’s sleeping.” He offered the Avatar a small smile. “Just some friendly advice.”

Korra nodded and muttered a good night to her friends. Mako grunted in response, and Bolin answered with a soft snore that echoed through the alley. She rested a hand on the pavement, tapping a finger against the concrete. She shivered, feeling a chill pass through her body once again. The wintery air sent goose-duck bumps up her arms, sending tendrils of the cold up her spine and throughout the rest of her body. 

She felt Bolin press his head against her shoulder, his hair tickling the skin there, though he did not feel any warmer than she did. Usually, the cold didn’t bother her in the slightest, between her prowess as a Firebender and her upbringing in the bitter, perpetually wintry Southern Water Tribe, but something, whether it was her unfamiliar and uncomfortable surroundings or that she had no jacket to insulate her, having shed the fur sweater back when she and the brothers were in the Pro-Bending arena, now miles away, earlier that night, left her frozen to the bone.   
She huffed as she eyed Mako, lying on his back with his body tight beside her, wondering if he had fallen asleep yet. She pushed herself off of the ground and into a sitting position to peer over Mako. She studied him; his face was calm, eyes closed, and his breathing seemed even enough, his chest, with arms folded over his ribcage, rising and falling rhythmically.

And, she guessed, he was warm. Much warmer than she was, anyway.

Hesitantly, she scooted over, as close to Mako’s side as she dared to venture. She pressed her head against his side, tucked underneath the pit of his arm. 

Her nose rubbed inadvertently against the fabric covering his chest, the scent, a mixture of sweat, the sweet-smelling soap he used to wash his clothing, and the dusty scent of the alley, filled her senses. She sighed again, this time involuntarily. 

Gaining a bit of confidence, she pressed herself closer to his side. She curled up against him, finally feeling his heat spread to her. Korra slung an arm around across his torso, squeezing and pressing even closer to his side, closing her eyes.

She felt Mako’s body suddenly grow rigid beside her. One eye of hers cracked open to see him prop his head up, glowering down at Korra. “So much for making things less awkward between us, Korra,” he grumbled.

“Shut up,” she muttered in response, bringing a foot forward to kick his shin lightly. “I’m cold. And how is this awkward? We’re just sharing heat.”

“It’s _awkward_ because you’re— _we’re_ —“ he stammered, and then stopped himself altogether. He cleared his throat. “Never mind, okay? Why did you choose me to curl up against, anyway?”

She burrowed her head further into his side, letting her feet kick back to rest against Bolin’s thigh behind her. “Because I was cold, and you were warmer than he was.”

“You could’ve brought your coat.”

“Oh,” she retorted, sarcasm dripping from her tone, “excuse me for not thinking to grab it when those Equalists chased us away from the arena. My bad, Mako.”

Mako sighed. “All right, all right.” He relented, his body relaxing. Korra smiled in satisfaction, watching the rise and fall of his chest.

A while passed in silence, Mako lying with eyes closed, and Korra’s outstretched arm draped over him, nestled against his side as she breathed in the scent of his clothing, watching his chest expand and contract as she dozed off.

“Good night, Korra,” Mako mumbled drowsily as he opened his eyes to gaze down at her slumped form, his amber eyes heavy-lidded.

She yawned. “Good night, Mako.” He smiled at her in response, then closed his eyes for a final time that night. She pressed her forehead to his side and closed her eyes as well. 

A minute or so passed before she felt Bolin place his head into the crook of her shoulder. He flung one of his arms across the side of her body, resting his other arm against her back. She felt his short, coarse hair brush against her cheek, then felt the bristles of hair at the top of his head move down to her jawline as he nestled his head in further.

Korra chuckled. “Good night to you, too, Bolin,” she chimed sleepily.

Sandwiched between the brothers, her teammates and friends, Korra drifted off to sleep, warmth flowing through her body and a pleasant feeling settling inside her.


End file.
